Buckley, who's been going to the Treasury Department for 10 years, is battling cancer.

When the House approved a bill naming the western tiger salamander the state amphibian, the question arose: Why doesn’t Colorado have a state dog?

In way, it does.

Meet Buckley, who’s been a fixture in the state Treasurer’s Office since Republican Mike Coffman held the post.

Lots of folks showed up at Buckley’s 10th birthday party last November, in part because of fears it might be his last. Buckley, a golden retriever, has cancer. “We really don’t know how much time he has left,” Coffman said.

Joey Bunch has been a reporter for 28 years, including the last 12 at The Denver Post. For various newspapers he has covered the environment, water issues, politics, civil rights, sports and the casino industry.